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Houses in the Cottage Park neighborhood of Oak Bluffs, on the island of Martha's Vineyard.
AP Photo

But instead, Obama will be about 12 miles away on a secluded property in Chilmark called the Blue Heron Farm, in the same town as Clinton pal Vernon Jordan, who is known to keep a daily, early morning golf date at the Farm Neck Club in Oak Bluffs.

The sprawling beachfront estate includes a golf tee, an apple orchard, gardens, swimming pool and a small basketball court. The president is paying for his family’s portion of the rental out of his own pocket, with the government picking up Secret Service and staff costs.

During the campaign, Obama visited Martha’s Vineyard for fundraising, and in summer 2004, there was a kind of coming-out party for the soon-to-be junior senator from Illinois. Organized by senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, who owns a home on the island, the event drew a crowd of about 300 A-listers to the summer rental of Harvard professor Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, a friend of Obama’s who once hosted the Clintons at the home in Oak Bluffs.

Obama is expected to see Gates this week as well, friends say — just weeks after Gates attended the “beer summit” at the White House, following Gates’s arrest on disorderly conduct charges at his home by a white Cambridge, Mass., police officer.

Obama came out strongly in defense of Gates, saying police “acted stupidly” in arresting the professor. It was the first racial imbroglio of his term, and set off a firestorm that Obama tried to quiet by bringing Gates and the officer to the White House.

Palling around with Gates could re-open a conversation that Obama doesn’t want to have, some say.

“It would be hard to avoid seeing Skip [Gates] because he is out and about so much. ... but I think it would be a mistake to go over to Skip’s for a beer,” said Melissa Harris Lacewell, a political science professor at Princeton University, who was on the Vineyard last week for an annual conference on race. “He doesn’t want to encourage the sense that he has an intimate relationship to Skip or that he has any lingering responsibility. He [Obama] has done his part in all of this.”

Ogletree, who owns a home in Oak Bluffs, said there aren’t any plans for a reception for Obama similar to the one in 2004. “People are ready, willing and able to host him in any way, but they want him to get privacy and rest,” said Ogletree, a mentor to Michelle Obama who was Gates’s lawyer after he was arrested.

Harris Lacewell said Americans shouldn’t be surprised the president wants to go to a nice place for vacation, especially a place like Martha’s Vineyard, where he has many friends.

“If he wants to hang out where other presidents hang out, then he can,” she said. “America is going to have to get over the fact that the guy is an elite. He lives in the White House — he can vacation in the Vineyard.”

But Obama’s inbox will be stuffed full when he gets back — he's heading into a critical month of September on health care, but also facing big decisions on other parts of his legislative agenda such as cap-and-trade energy legislation, as well as an expected request for more troops from his commander in Afghanistan.

He’ll also face liberals growing anxious that Obama is prepared to sacrifice some of their key priorities on health care and other issues — which would shatter their hopes that Obama would usher in a new progressive era in American politics.

“The President needs to use his vacation not just as a well-deserved break to be with his family but as a time of contemplation, to step back and ask why he ran for president,” Drew Westen, a political psychologist, wrote on POLITICO’s The Arena. “He needs to come out in September with an answer.”

Readers' Comments (969)

Obama is expected to see Gates this week as well, friends say – just weeks after Gates attended the “beer summit” at the White House, following Gates’ arrest on disorderly conduct charges at his home by a white Cambridge, Mass., police officer.

Obama came out strongly in defense of Gates, saying police “acted stupidly” in arresting the professor. It was the first racial imbroglio of his term, and set off a firestorm that Obama tried to quiet by bringing Gates and the officer to the White House.

Palling around with Gates could re-open a conversation that Obama doesn’t want to have, some say.

Ogletree, who owns a home in Oak Bluffs, said that there aren’t any plans for a reception for Obama similar to the one in 2004. “People are ready, willing and able to host him in any way, but they want him to get privacy and rest,” said Ogletree, a mentor to Michelle Obama who was Gates’ lawyer after he was arrested.

What a perfect little circle. I wonder who else is in town for the festivities?

Obama is expected to see Gates this week as well, friends say – just weeks after Gates attended the “beer summit” at the White House, following Gates’ arrest on disorderly conduct charges at his home by a white Cambridge, Mass., police officer.

Obama came out strongly in defense of Gates, saying police “acted stupidly” in arresting the professor. It was the first racial imbroglio of his term, and set off a firestorm that Obama tried to quiet by bringing Gates and the officer to the White House.

Palling around with Gates could re-open a conversation that Obama doesn’t want to have, some say.

Ogletree, who owns a home in Oak Bluffs, said that there aren’t any plans for a reception for Obama similar to the one in 2004. “People are ready, willing and able to host him in any way, but they want him to get privacy and rest,” said Ogletree, a mentor to Michelle Obama who was Gates’ lawyer after he was arrested.

What a perfect little circle. I wonder who else is in town for the festivities?

the president has not vacationed nearly as much as george bush...i hope he enjoys his vacation with his family..and when he comes back he pushes thru his health care bill without the party of no..so we can move on to the next agenda...

the president has not vacationed nearly as much as george bush...i hope he enjoys his vacation with his family..and when he comes back he pushes thru his health care bill without the party of no..so we can move on to the next agenda...

Obama is expected to see Gates this week as well, friends say ? just weeks after Gates attended the ?beer summit? at the White House, following Gates? arrest on disorderly conduct charges at his home by a white Cambridge, Mass., police officer.

Obama came out strongly in defense of Gates, saying police ?acted stupidly? in arresting the professor. It was the first racial imbroglio of his term, and set off a firestorm that Obama tried to quiet by bringing Gates and the officer to the White House.

The pigs did act stupidly and you know it. The only reason your for the pig is because your against obama. You anit foolin anyone. See how you would react if the pigs came to your door acting like badasses questioning your right to be in your home.. id tell them to f off and slam the door in their f in face.

Obmas supporters are so sadly niave. The young inexperienced voters were conned into beleiving that his philosophy is workable. Rules for radicals and other lefty source material appeals to the natural rebellious nature of the young. The we are going to change the world mentality was used by the Democrats to mislead them into thinking that they were part of a large and wonderful movemen that was going to bring justice to an increasngly unjust world. The reality is Obama and his ilk are the typical cynical politicians Democrat and Republican who manipulate their zombie armies. If you really want to make a difference in this world quit identifying with either of these parties and start to think for yourself

the president has not vacationed nearly as much as george bush...i hope he enjoys his vacation with his family..and when he comes back he pushes thru his health care bill without the party of no..so we can move on to the next agenda

I do too. I hope he is not a wimp and gets this done. We have been waiting a long time for this and we elected him to get er done. the squeeling repukes can squirm all they like but us real Americans want the president to do what we elected him to do. pass heath care and get out of these f'ed up wars that shrug started.

The pigs did act stupidly and you know it. The only reason your for the pig is because your against obama. You anit foolin anyone. See how you would react if the pigs came to your door acting like badasses questioning your right to be in your home.. id tell them to f off and slam the door in their f in face.

No asse hole, your wrong if the "pigs" came to my door after a neighbor witnessed me breaking into my house, I would have the intelligence to realize Oh OK one of my neighbors must have been looking out for my well being and called the police.

Then I would say look I screwed up and forgot my keys how can I help and get you on your way to do your work for society.

But NO this Bigot, Racist had to turn this into a national story because " I am Skippy Gates and I know the President "

Now he is vacationing in Martha's Vineyard with said president, and his lawyer.

Already, at least one group on the right is taking a jab at Obama over his beach vacation — at a 28-acre farm, said to rent for up to $50,000 a week. Obama has struggled against the perception that he has trouble connecting with average voters, and some are questioning his choice of a getaway spot for the well-to-do.

“The danger for President Obama is that he seems to be in what is one of the most elite summer resorts in theUnited States.

I say;

You cant get anymore elite than being the President of the most powerfull country in the world. Get off it for once. Pass universal health care. We spend billions eack on a lots of countrys. For once Id like to see us invest our money in this country instead of bum f egypt. F you repukes im hope you all burn in hell.

Obama is expected to see Gates this week as well, friends say ? just weeks after Gates attended the ?beer summit? at the White House, following Gates? arrest on disorderly conduct charges at his home by a white Cambridge, Mass., police officer.

Obama came out strongly in defense of Gates, saying police ?acted stupidly? in arresting the professor. It was the first racial imbroglio of his term, and set off a firestorm that Obama tried to quiet by bringing Gates and the officer to the White House.

The pigs did act stupidly and you know it. The only reason your for the pig is because your against obama. You anit foolin anyone. See how you would react if the pigs came to your door acting like badasses questioning your right to be in your home.. id tell them to f off and slam the door in their f in face.

Let me apoligize for calling you asse hole I get a little angry when confronted with statements like this.